Race Rundown: COTA & Mexico City

*Warning: Explicit Langage in the photos at the end

Race Rundown 19 & 20: COTA and Mexico City

Both of these races had chaotic moments, and I don’t know which race I enjoyed more.

Circuit of the Americas - Austin, Texas:

COTA weekend was already laced with some expectancy of chaos and fun with it being a sprint weekend.

The Sprint race started with Max P1, Lando P2, and Oscar P3.  Turn 1 was horrendous as a racing incident caused by Oscar led to a double McLaren DNF.  To be honest I didn’t watch most of the sprint race after this because I was scrolling on social media and rewatching the incident.  This incident has been highly controversial.  People are saying that this is a more intense and obviously worse version of the incident that took place in Singapore.  The only difference, in Singapore, Lando was the only one who came away with slight damage and no one DNF’d.  In Austin, Oscar's move caused him to be hit and then hit Lando and take them both out.  I will say, I do not know everything but I have watched the video of this incident multiple times and seen multiple views.  This is my OPINION, while Oscar isn’t to blame, he is responsible, and I do believe there is a difference.  Oscar tried to make a move too late and because of this there was no room where he was trying to go.  Hulkenberg was to Lando’s left, and Alonso was to Hulkenberg’s left.  I do not believe there was a gap for Oscar to go for, but he tried anyway, and this caused a collision with him, Hulkenberg, and Lando.  The ending podium of the sprint was better though, with Max Verstappen as P1, George P2, and Carlos P3.  

The Grand Prix itself had my nerves going crazy with a Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc battle.  The race started with Max P1, Lando P2, and Charles P3.  On the race start, Leclerc overtook Lando.  Albon and Bortoleto collided on lap 1, but there was No Further Investigation.  Then Carlos Sainz hit Kimi Antonelli, Kimi spun off the track but got going again, unfortunately, Carlos Sainz DNF’d lap 7.  We also had a VSC at this point.

Esteban Ocon was investigated for a false start, but the stewards decided on No Further Investigation.  My nerves started going crazy because the battle between Lando and Leclerc was coming to its intermission.  Lando overtook Charles and started to try to close the 11 second gap to Max Verstappen.  Then Hamilton and Leclerc almost collide in a battle for third.  

We all knew that Lando would have to pit at some point, and he got a 3.8 second pit stop.  While this wasn’t the worst, it also isn’t the best.  Then Yuki Tsunoda and Ollie Bearman collided.  Lando and Charles then battled for P2 again.  Lando then overtook Charles again for the final part of their battle.  He then grew the gap between him and Charles.  The final podium in COTA was Max Verstappen P1, Lando Norris P2, and Charles Leclerc P3.

After the Sprint Incident, the “repercussions” the Mclaren had placed on Lando have been taken away.

Mexico City:

This race was insanely chaotic and I loved every second of it.  Also in this race we got a new CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER!!!!!  Sorry, I’m excited, because this race was awesome in so many ways. So, let's get to it and run it down.

The starting grid of this race, Lando Norris P1, Charles Leclerc P2, and Lewis Hamilton P3.  The race started, Verstappen and Leclerc both went off the track.  Verstappen went off the track into the grass but got third.  Leclerc went off the track to overtake Lando but Lando got his place back and he absolutely dominated the rest of this race.  Lance Stroll spun out??? Lap 1 was absolute chaos.  There was then a yellow flag.  George was not happy with Max and what he did and wanted his position back.  Verstappen overtakes Hamilton, then Hamilton goes off and Verstappen follows.  Ollie Bearman snuck up into fourth place!

Liam Lawson pitted yet again, and then DNF’d.  Lewis Hamilton got a 10 second penalty for leaving the track and gaining advantage.  Hulkenberg then DNF’d.  Carlos Sainz got a 5 second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.  Oscar had a 3.6 second pit stop and Lando had a 2.6 second pit stop.  Mclaren needs to figure out what is going on because it seems like they can only do one good pit stop a race.  Lando pitted while he was in first and when he came out he was still first - he built up a huge gap.  Verstappen pitted and went into the pits second and came out eighth.  Mercedes swapped Kimi and George.  Kimi went to fifth and George went to fourth. 

George was so stressed this race and was being an absolute DIVA over the radio.  I have to say Diva George is my favorite George and so I was laughing for a good few minutes anytime they played his radio messages.  Alex Albon was also stressed out. 

We then went to a triple pit.  Lewis Oscar and Kimi pitted at the same time and Oscar came out ahead of Lewis.  Bearman and Russell then pitted at the same time.  Then at some point Kimi and George swapped positions again which led to Oscar overtaking Russell.  Sadly Carlos came to a standstill on lap 70 and we had a VSC.  When Lando crossed the finish line, winning the race and becoming the new championship leader (cue internal screaming - AHHH) he was 34 seconds ahead of Charles, but the official timing gap when Charles crossed the line was 30.324 seconds.  Charles ended P2, and Max P3.  Ollie Bearman ended P4, which is his highest finish this season, so let’s go Ollie!

During post race interviews people in the crowd booed Lando.  I think that this is terrible, no matter if you like someone or not.  This made me so sad, but then I just focused on the fact that Lando Norris is the championship leader again.  Now onto Brazil we go.

Below are screenshots of George Russell's radio throughout the race and a Thread talking about it. This had me laughing so hard, I wanted others to be able to enjoy it as well.